Works to develop SYD (Simulation Yacht Dynamics) began at VPLP Design in 2017 as part of Paul Kerdraon’s thesis on a new generation simulator. Unlike existing tools aimed mostly at the America’s Cup, which concentrated on vessel attitude on a smooth sea, SYD incorporated the effects of the swell in its calculations to model seakeeping qualities.

SYD is not only used for design, but also for “pre-trimming” boats: “Teams can, prior to launching their boat, undertake virtual sailing trials to do all the trimming they want on ballast tanks, keels and foils, and so on,’ says VPLP cofounder Vincent Lauriot-Prévost. “It saves a considerable amount of time. And it’s also interesting, once the boat is in the water, to compare the simulator results with data logged at sea by the teams.”

On the graphics side, SYD benefited from a collaboration with two companies based in Angoulême which specialize in video games: Studio Nyx and Aurora Game Studio. “We wanted SYD to be as close as possible to reality in terms of attitude and wake”, says Vincent Lauriot-Prévost.

SYD is available under licence.